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Former national team football player Baihakki Khaizan, 38, announced he is retiring from soccer after an 18-year-career.
He announced his retirement via a video posted on his social media platforms on Feb. 1.
"We part"
"The day has come for me to officially announce that I am retiring from the sport," he wrote.
"It's tough, but I'm glad that I am able to pick a day, putting all the pieces together and decide to move on to another chapter of my life," he added.
Baihakki uploaded a one-minute and 46 seconds video bidding goodbye to his career as a football player and giving thanks to those who support him.
In the caption, the former national captain shared that he "broke down a few times during the studio shoot" just to say the words "we part".
Nonetheless, he said in the video that this is "not the end" and it's a "new beginning".
Wants to understand football from a "management perspective"
According to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), Baihakki said that he aims to still be in the football circle even after his retirement.
"I want to understand the game more from a management perspective," he said.
Baihakki added that he would like to explore the area and hopefully to contribute where he can for "local football to progress".
Illustrious career
According to FAS, Baihakki, commonly referred to as "Bai", made his international debut in 2003, when he was 19 years old, against Hong Kong at Jalan Besar Stadium for an international friendly match. The Lions won 4-1 then.
FAS added that Bai had a "distinguished international career", which saw him earning 140 caps, the last in June 2021, while helping Singapore win the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Championship thrice.
He started his professional career with Geylang International.
Bai was also named the Young Player of the Year the same year he started his professional career as a soccer player in 2003.
He went on to play for the Young Lions from 2004 to 2007, before going back to Geylang from 2008 to 2009.
He played for Warriors FC in 2017, and more recently, Tampines Rovers from 2020 to 2021.
Baihakki also ventured his careers overseas in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Earlier retired in 2019 but made a u-turn
On Mar. 7, 2019, the centre-back player announced his retirement from the national team.
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Top image screenshot via Baihakki Khaizan/Facebook